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C. T. DE FOREST.

BUCKLE.

No. 815,486. Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

Mix/5555 JVVEA/fiE- UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. DE FOREST, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,486, dated April 14, 1885.

Application filed February 16, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES T. DE FOREST, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, whereof the following isa specification.

My improvements relate, particularly, to the kindkn'own as lever-buckles, aclass whose tongue requires no perforations in the strap which it is used to secure; but instead thereof the tongue is broad and flat, presenting an edge to the surface of such strap capable of engaging it at any point thereon desired. In a buckle so made I form a recess underneath in one bar or side of the frame,herein called the tuck-bar, to facilitate undoing the buckle from its strap. I also add to such tuck-bar a lip projecting outwardly therefrom as a further aid for the same purpose. Such a buckle is shown in the accompanying drawings, which also illustrate my improvement.

Figure 1 shows my improved buckle in perspective. Fig. 2 shows the same as in use. Fig. 3 shows a front and top view of a tuckbar. Fig. 4 is a modified form of tuck-bar. Fig. 5 is an ordinary lever-buckle.

A in said drawings denotes the frame of the buckle; B, the tongue or lever; G, the strap attached to the lever B, and D the strap secured and held by the bite of lever-tongue thereon.

The part of the frame mainly relied on is the bar a, which takes the force of the end or engaging edge of the lever-tongue as it bites the strap D from beneath.

The end of the strap D beyond the bite of the lever-tongue is tucked under the bar 6 at the opposite side of the frame. This tuckbar I) presses firmly on such strap when the buckle is in use, and serves to hold the strap in close contact with the edge of the tongue, and so prevent the tongue from becoming disengaged and the strap D from working loose. In undoing or unbuckling this strap it is necessary first to withdraw it from under the tuck-bar b of the frame. This is very difficultlto do quickly, and to facilitate loosening the =buckle-frame and lever-tongue preparatory to withdrawing the strap is the object of my invention. The improvements consist in forming a recess or indentation, d, in the bar b on the under side thereof, Figs. 1 and 2. The said in- I dentation, is located at the middle of this tuck-bar b, and oneach side thereof are two well-definedbearing-points, c 0, (shown in Fig. 3,)in-the form of protuberances c" c, which bearingspress on the strap D and aid in holding it fast in the usual manner. Thus a space is formedbeneath the tuck-bar b, be 6o tween said bearings c c, and between the tuckbar and the strap D.

When the buckle is to be undone from the strap, the tuck-bar b may be lifted slightly, as by inserting the tip of the finger under this bar at the recess therein, and then rocking the frame on the pivot e of the tongue or lever Has a fulcrum, the effect of which, repeated once or twice, is to cause the levertongue to loosen its hold, when the strap D 70. may be easily withdrawn from under the 1 tuck-bar b and then entirely disengaged from. the tongue and wholly withdrawn from the, buckle. I

A modified form of the tuckbar is shown in Fig. 4, in which thebearings cc areplain instead of being'protuberances.

To further aid the facility of unloosening the buckle, as aforesaid, a projection is formed on the outside of the tuck-bar at the same 10- 8o cality as the indentation or recess beneath. This is made either by casting or otherwise forming an extension or lip, f, on the front of the said bar and near theupper side, as seen in Fig. 4., or it may be made by indenting or $5 striking the tuck-bar outward at the middle;

In Fig. 3the bar is shown as indented both upward and outward.

' I claim as my invention- 1. Abuckle-frame for lever-buckles, havo .ing its tuck-bar shaped to form a recess beneath at the middle with bearing-points, each side resting on the strap D, which it secures, and leaving an open space between such bar and the said strap. I r

2. A buckle frame having its tuck bar shaped to form a recess beneath at the middle, and also provided with an extension or lip on the front side, substantially asspecified.

3. A buckle-frame having a tuck bar with 10:; protuberances c o underneath, resting as bean ings on the secured strap D, as set forth CHAS. T. DE FOREST.

Witnesses:

EARLE H. SMITH, W. D. VAN Roman. 

